He returned from the trip having had an epiphany and
possessed a renewed sense of excitement as we prepared to launch
into a new vertical. Because Jeremy typically works by himself in
a remote office, Graves’ influence proved to be a huge asset.

It all proves that the company that a businessperson keeps can
have a profound effect on him or her and subsequently the success
of a business.

Renowned businessman Jim Rohn once said, “You’re the average of
the five people you spend most of your time with.” But it’s
common for entrepreneurs to underestimate the importance of
the company they keep. Bottom line: The people around you
matter.

You need people -- whether it’s co-founders, mentors, family
or friends -- who will challenge you and make you better,
thereby raising your average or helping you maintain a high one.
Many entrepreneurs strive to be the smartest person in the room
on every issue. But if you're always the smartest person, you're
hurting yourself. You want to surround yourself with people who
can run circles around you in as many areas as possible, people
who are exponentially better in a variety of ways.

Here’s the really hard part: Giving a silent critique of the
people you keep around you may sound judgmental and
downright ruthless, but understanding their influence on your
performance is critical to your success. As an entrepreneur, you
have too much at stake to let this go unaddressed. If someone is
bringing down your average, you have to reduce his or her
involvement in your life. Not doing so may hinder your
energy, vision and ultimate success.

As an exercise, write down the five people with whom you spend
most of your time. Assign a numerical value to each person from 1
to 10, and then calculate your average (with 10 being the most
positive influence possible). How does each person affect your
average? They don’t need to be Elon Musk or the Dalai Lama, but
they should make you better. They should elevate both your
thinking and performance.

Look outside of your company. Like Jeremy did
with Ryan, you may need to seek out one person or more from
outside your company. This is commonplace for many of the most
accomplished entrepreneurs. For example, Nike’s founder, Phil
Knight, promptly inserted the late Joe Paterno as his “hero,”
after the passing of his business partner and mentor Bill
Bowerman. Knight even described the process during Paterno’s eulogy in 2012.

Be open to change. As you enter new stages, your
five people may evolve. For instance, your five people in high
school were probably very different than your five now. And it’s
not as though the high school friends needed to be thrown out,
but their roles may have diminished. True friendship always
endures, and you’re simply focusing your valuable time most
appropriately. Conversely, if there are people who you think will
help you improve, make a concerted effort to spend more time with
them.

Put yourself under the microscope. Be cognizant
of whom you are helping, inspiring and holding to a higher
standard. Most great relationships are symbiotic, whereby people
bring out the best in one another. How can you do a better job or
what else can you bring to other people's lives to help them? Is
there even someone whose average you’re bringing down?